Ravinia 2019, Issue 7, Week 13

MIGUEL ZENÓN, saxophone Multiple Grammy nominee and Guggenheim andMacArthur FellowMiguel Zenón represents a select group of musicians who have masterful- ly balanced and blended the often contradictory poles of innovation and tradition. Widely con- sidered as one of the most groundbreaking and influential saxophonists of his generation, he has also developed a unique voice as a composer and as a conceptualist, concentrating his efforts on perfecting a fine mix between Latin Amer- ican folkloric music and jazz. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Zenón has released 12 recordings as a bandleader, including the Grammy-nominated Yo Soy La Tradición (2018) and Típico (2017), as well as his latest, Sonero: The Music of Ismael Rivera (2019). As a side- man, he has worked with jazz luminaries such as The SFJAZZ Collective, Charlie Haden, Fred Hersch, Kenny Werner, David Sánchez, Danilo Perez, The Village Vanguard Orchestra, Guiller- mo Klein & Los Guachos, The Jeff Ballard Trio, Antonio Sanchez, David Gilmore, Paoli Meji- as, Brian Lynch, Jason Lindner, Miles Okazaki, Ray Barreto, Andy Montañez, Jerry Gonzalez & The Fort Apache Band, The Mingus Big Band, Bobby Hutcherson, and Steve Coleman. Zenón has been featured in such publications as the New York Times , Wall Street Journal , Los Ange- les Times , Boston Globe , and Chicago Tribune . Additionally, he topped both the Jazz Artist of the Year and Alto Saxophonist categories on the 2014 Jazz Times Critics Poll and was selected as the Alto Saxophonist of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association in 2015, 2018, and 2019. As a composer, he has been commissioned by SFJAZZ, NYO Jazz, New York State Council for the Arts, Chamber Music America, Logan Cen- ter for the Arts, Hyde Park Jazz Festival, John Simon Guggenheim Foundation, MIT, Jazz Reach, Peak Performances, PRISM Quartet, and many of his peers. Zenón has given hundreds of lectures and master classes at institutions all over the world, and is a permanent faculty member at the New England Conservatory. In 2011 he founded Caravana Cultural, a program which presents jazz concerts in rural areas of Puerto Rico for free. Miguel Zenón is making his Ravinia debut. 6:00 PM SATURDAY, AUGUST 31, 2019 PAVILION COMMON –Intermission– QUEEN LATIFAH † Ravinia debut AUGUST 26 – SEPTEMBER 2, 2019 | RAVINIA MAGAZINE 109